The Magazine of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
No.21 March 2019 The Magazine of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand NO.21 MARCH 2019 Proud sponsors of Birds New Zealand 3 From the President's Desk Find us in your local New World or PAKn’ Save 4 2019 NZ Bird Conference and 80th AGM 5 Dr Helen Taylor Honoured 6 NZ Bird Atlas to Launch on 1st June 7 Birds New Zealand Research Fund Reports 10 Chatham Island Snipe - our littlest snipe 14 Wader Nest Predation and Climate Change 15 Bumper Breeding Season for KākāpŌ 16 Regional Roundup PUBLISHERS Published on behalf of the members of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand 19 Bird News (Inc), P.O. Box 834, Nelson 7040, New Zealand. Email: [email protected] Website: www.osnz.org.nz Editor: Michael Szabo, 6/238 The Esplanade, Island Bay, Wellington 6023. COVER IMAGE Email: [email protected] Tel: (04) 383 5784 Long-tailed Cuckoo or Koekoe , Arthurs Pass, South Island. Photo ISSN 2357-1586 (Print) ISSN 2357-1594 (Online) ā by Mike Ashbee www.mikeashbeephotography.com We welcome advertising enquiries. Free classified ads for members are at the editor’s discretion. Articles or illustrations related to birds in New Zealand and the South Pacific region are welcome in electronic form, such as news about birds, members’ activities, birding sites, identification, letters, reviews, or photographs. Copy deadlines are 10th Feb, May, Aug and 1st Nov. Views expressed by contributors do not necessarily represent those of OSNZ (Inc) or the editor. India’s dawn chorus Join us for a fully escorted, small-group, bird-lovers and wildlife tour in north India. 20 days, departing 14 October 2019. India’s diversity of habitat types and altitudes give it a rich bird life. It has over 1200 bird species including 70 raptors, 30 duck and geese species, and 8 stork varieties. We visit 5 magnificent National Parks: in the Himalayas, the Ganges Plains and on the Deccan Plateau. In this season we will also see masses of migratory birds from north Asia. And wildlife, including tigers, is a bonus. Contact: colourindia.co.nz | [email protected] 09 422 0111 | 021 235 3932 2 BIRDS NEW ZEALAND I Number 21 March 2019 1. 2. 3. 1. Auckland RR Ian McLean and Rose Brooks welcoming the godwits/Trina Smith. 2. Otago survey team at Sinclair Wetlands with Otago RR Mary Thompson (centre in blue coat) and President Bruce McKinlay (left of Mary)/Warren Jowett. 3. Otago members scoping the birds at Lake Ellesmere/ Mary Thompson. From the President’s Desk Kerry-Jayne Wilson Honoured New Zealand Bird Atlas First some really good news. I’m sure that other Society members On behalf of Council, Wildlife Management International would have noticed that Kerry-Jayne Wilson of Charleston (WMIL) have continued to work on the design of the New was the recipient of a New Zealand Honour as a Member of Zealand Bird Atlas, which will be formally launched at the the New Zealand Order of Merit. National recognition for her 2019 Conference on June 1st. The project creates a strong legacy many years of work on seabird conservation is richly deserved with the Society’s previous two Atlas projects. An important by Kerry-Jayne. She has also been a stalwart of the Society as output will be the ability to compare nationwide changes in bird a researcher and supporter of local research on the West Coast distribution over 45 years. As you will have read in the latest and Canterbury. Additionally, Kerry-Jayne provided leadership edition of , the value of this was dramatically shown in Susan in the Society as a South Island Vice President for many years. Walker and Adrian Monk’s analysis of the first two Birds New Kerry-Jayne is currently providing national leadership in Zealand Atlas datasets. developing a research agenda and priority conservation for penguin species. Congratulations Kerry-Jayne: the award is It is clear that when data is collected using the right methods, it richly deserved! is now possible to undertake powerful modelling and mapping which reports far more than simple bird distribution. Mike New Logo Bell and Nikki McArthur of WMIL recently prepared a report I’m really pleased that our new logo has been launched and is to Council on work completed so far. See page 6 of this edition now starting to roll-out on publications, documents and letters of for more details. If you are wanting to get on to mapping birds the Society. Development of the new logo has been led by Helen promptly after the 2019 Conference, a half-day field trip for Taylor on behalf of Council and I think the result is a strong members who want training on the methods will be available. representation of how we want to present the Society into the future. Thanks are also due to Society member Shaun Lee who Constitutional Changes designed the logo and put a lot of care into telling the story of You will find on page 4 of this edition a Notice of Motion relating the new logo and how it supported the strategic direction of the to membership changes as discussed in my last report. These Society. changes are part of ongoing work to ensure that the Society is fit to deliver for you, the membership, over the next decade. As Website Update we work through these you can expect more rule changes in the Council has also been working to advance the Society’s new future. website, which has a fresh layout and our new branding. We had hoped that it could be launched earlier but some things have Membership Renewals taken longer than planned, so we are now looking at a launch The Society’s Membership Secretary contacted me recently to date in late March. An email will be sent to members once it is say that 240 members have yet to pay their annual subscription launched. The initial phase will also act as a ‘live test’ period, renewal. This is a very unfortunate situation for the Society allowing members to give feedback on any broken links or any to find itself in, as 240 unpaid subscriptions is a significant other aspect that doesn’t work. Hopefully any creases will have amount of the Society’s income for the year. Members in the been ironed-out by then, but a period of ‘user-testing’ will help to ‘grace’ category have until May to pay their subscription. In the alert us to any glitches that exist. meantime, Council will be considering changes to policy and, if necessary, to the Society’s rules to address this unfortunate 2019 NZ Birds Conference and 80th AGM situation. Options include shortening the ‘grace’ period; a late Online registration for the 2019 New Zealand Birds Conference fee or a discount for prompt payment. Your views on these or and 80th Annual General Meeting is now live on the Society’s other options are welcome and would help Council formulate website. I’m looking forward to catching up with you all at the something which is effective. Brentwood Hotel in Wellington on Queen’s Birthday weekend (1-3 June). Please make sure that you book early to ensure that Summer Birdwatching you can get onto your field trip of choice. In spite of the 7am start Finally, Dinah and I have just had two wonderful weeks of I think I’ll be trying for a Cook Strait pelagic; what about you? summer birdwatching in Abel Tasman National Park and driving Here’s the link for registration and full details of the conference the West Coast. The weather was good and the birdwatching a and field trips: https://www.osnz.org.nz/civicrm/event/ wonderful mix of forest and wetland habitats. It was a great start info?id=14&reset=1 to 2019, with the Society’s forthcoming New Zealand Bird Atlas project being an inspiration to once again get out and explore the myriad places where New Zealand birds are present. Number 21 March 2019 I BIRDS NEW ZEALAND 3 2019 New Zealand Bird Notice of Motion for five Conference and 80th AGM Amendments to the Constitution of The 2019 New Zealand Bird Conference and 80th AGM will be The Ornithological Society of held in Wellington on Queen's Birthday weekend (1-3 June). All events and meals will be at the Brentwood Hotel, Kilbirnie, NZ Inc. Wellington. Online registration and full details are available at: In terms of Rule 17.1 of the Constitution, Notice of Motion is given https://www.osnz.org.nz/civicrm/event/info?id=14&reset=1 to members that the Constitution of The Ornithological Society or contact your Regional Representative: of New Zealand Inc. be amended at the Annual General Meeting https://www.osnz.org.nz/contact-us/regional-representatives of the Society to be held in Wellington in 2019. The following This 80th celebratory conference aims to continue the fine Notice of Motion is proposed to enable five recommendations to work of previous events in making this the premier New Zealand be debated and voted on at the Annual General Meeting. A full conference for the communication of new research findings on background paper has been published on the Society’s website: New Zealand birds and for providing opportunities for discussion https://www.osnz.org.nz/Governance and networking for professional ornithologists, students and others who are interested in birds and their habitats. We look New Rule 5.2.6: forward to presenting keynote lectures on a diversity of topics, 5.2.6 Honorary Member, may be awarded by Council to any including Wellington birds, the Auckland Islands, old bones member of the Society in its sole discretion on the resolution of and ancient DNA, genetics and taxonomy, physiology and not less than eight Councillors in recognition of an outstanding reproduction, and seabirds.